Anybody else weep buckets when looking at old baby pictures?

[podsquash]

I can't seem to look at pictures of my son as a baby without my heart breaking. I think it is guilt that I had another child when he was 2 and that I went back to work quite early (when he was 8 months). General feelings to total inadequacy all round but especially about his baby days. It is awful, I just want to take him out of the picture and cuddle him, go back and do it all differently. Tell me everyone does this!

I don't know about everyone but I do, and my ds is not even two yet and I haven't even had any other kids yet! I had a brief period when he was two weeks old when I stupidly tried getting him into a routine ( to think about it now) and I gave up bf very early on and very much wish I hadn't so I look at the old photos and remember that stuff and feel quite sad that I didn't do things differently.

sorry, that post was hard to read and didn't make much sense - am v tired!

I do too, I think its because you remember what you did wrong and want to go back and re do it.
I would love to go back and just spend days cuddling him on the settee instead of stressing over housework and feeling the need to do something!

Wow. Does it help at all doing this, or do you get up from the photo albums feeling terrible and unable to sleep? If the latter, it might be a good idea to give them to another person for a few months (maybe an in-law or parent who might like to have them) so that you can have some time without them?

There was a very sad thread recently that I contributed to about having an only child. Believe me, many many parents think they have ruined their child's life, either by not giving them a sibling, or by giving them one, or more...

I have to say when I look at ds's baby pictures i mostly think how fat he looks. Though I must say, when I look at pictures of him around 3 - 4 weeks it is a bit hard, because at 4 weeks we went into hospital and he is still very obviously jaundiced in the pictures, which I didn't really see until it was hospital time, and of course it is easy to see it now.

I think if you are feeling inadequate all the time, that's a horrible way to live. Do you have a partner? Do they know how you feel?

I feel like crying when I see photos of myself as a baby. My whole life ahead of me and cocked most of it up. I do cry seeing pics of ds (dd is still baby), but mostly out of sentimentality.

chunkychips thats such a sad post want to come over to wherever you are a give you a little hug.

Oh I simply love looking at baby photos. Infact, I was doing exactly that yesterday.

DS1 is 13 and DS2 is 12, so when they asked what I was doing I replied "I'm looking at these old photos of when you were both nice"!

They were both adorable babies (aren't they all?!) and although I get a bit broody when looking at old photos, it soon passes when I hear the two of them upstairs squabbling and bickering!

I know what you mean.
I am ttc my 2nd dc but I have fears it may not happen.
I look back at photos of my only ds and feel deep saddness that I may not have that young stage again.
I feel as though I have had one chance and didn,t make the most of it.
I so much want another child.
Its a sort of a grieving for a child that may not be.
So yes I am having similar feelings to what you mean.

thanks minkus. i do sound very sorry for myself don't I.